Day 230
"Your apologies mean nothing to me!" roared the Second Tsuchikage, his voice thundering like a threatening storm, vibrating the air around him as he reduced a portion of the council table to ashes with an irritated gesture. Terror was evident on the faces of all present, aware of the devastating power he held, ready to unleash at any moment. This was not supposed to happen! I demand results, and what do you have to report to me?
One of the advisors stuttered in an attempt to respond, hesitating in the face of the Tsuchikage's blazing anger.
"Keep babbling like that, and I promise you a most gruesome end!" threatened Mū, his words sharp as a blade, plunging the advisor into terrified silence, aware of the fatal consequences of his own words.
The unfortunate advisor's attempts to respond were abruptly cut short as the council chamber was suddenly bathed in a rain of blood, the Tsuchikage having just imploded his subordinate using one of his deadly techniques.
"Will anyone still have the balls to defy me face to face after what I just learned?" demanded Mū, his gaze scanning each individual in the room. The crimson traces stained the clothes and faces of those present, while the remains of their colleague lay pitifully on the floor.
"Border attacks are multiplying, and we still do not know the identity of the assailants," Ônoki reiterated gravely, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen over the room.
Mū's apprentice had no appetite for another bloody eruption. Moreover, his master would not dare bring death upon him, considering him an invaluable asset.
"Could this be the work of Konoha? Or has Tobirama persuaded the Kazekage to join him in an alliance? To deceive us in this way?" pondered the Kage inwardly.
He was perplexed by the turn of events.
Most of the units dispatched in guerrilla warfare had simply vanished, and now, they were the ones facing guerrilla assaults on their own territory.
The Land of Earth had allied with the Land of Wind, as well as the Land of Lightning, against the Land of Fire. Upon hearing of the deaths of Uchiha Madara and Hashirama Senju, the Second Tsuchikage had contacted other nations to take advantage of this unexpected opportunity.
"Could this be coming from Ta No Kuni?" ventured one of the advisors timidly.
"They do not have an army, and the last missive from the Daimyō of the Land of Rice Fields confirms their desire for peace. After all, no one offers such a sum of money unless seriously considering neutrality," retorted Mū, massaging one of his temples. "Perhaps we will make them a vassal after our endeavors towards the Land of Fire…"
"Should we recall our troops, Tsuchikage-sama?" the same advisor asked.
"No... that would be a waste of time and resources, especially at this time of year. Attacks are rare at this time, making it the ideal moment," replied the leader of the Land of Earth. "Moreover, at this hour, the Land of Rain must already be under our control."
"Do you want me to take a squad to investigate, Master?" proposed Ônoki, whose frustration was reflected in his voice as well as in the lines of his face. Civilians and comrades had disappeared, brothers-in-arms had likely fallen under the blows of an unknown enemy.
"Do it, Ônoki…," began Mū, before being interrupted by a knock on the door.
It opened, and a guard respectfully bowed before speaking.
"Lord Tsuchikage, please forgive this interruption, but a Genin, a member of the unit sent to the Land of Rain, has returned and she requests to see you urgently. She claims that the security of our operations is at stake."
"Bring her in immediately!" ordered Mū imperiously, already sensing the weight of the news to come.
The presence of a Genin in the council chamber invariably meant trouble. No respectable Jōnin would have tolerated the return of a member of their team without a valid reason, let alone desertion. If this person dared to lie to him, he would find out immediately... and he would have no hesitation in ending their life for wasting his time and abandoning their duty.
Young Mina entered the council chamber, her face reflecting a range of emotions. Not only was she still shaken by what she had experienced on the battlefield, but she also stood before her hierarchical superior, a situation both intimidating and bewildering. Moreover, the oppressive atmosphere of the room, permeated with blood on the walls and council members, added to the oppression she felt as a Genin.
"Why are you here? Why are you not on the front lines conquering the Land of Rain?" asked the bandaged man sharply, fixing his gaze on the young brunette.
"Forgive me, Tsuchikage-sama, I... I am the only survivor of the armed force sent to conquer the Land of Rain."
This declaration was like an explosion in the heart of the room.
"Explain yourself!" ordered the Tsuchikage, carefully observing the Genin's eyes, detecting no trace of falsehood, a realization that only increased his worry. "A report, immediately!"
The man's cry echoed through the room, startling all occupants, especially Mina, unaccustomed to being subjected to such pressure and palpable murderous intent. It was a far cry from the trial the pink-haired woman had put her through.
"We headed towards Shizuoka, the second largest city in the Land of Rain," began the young teenager. "Our regiment eliminated the Konoha and Rain Shinobi patrolling before attacking the city. But when we launched the assault, we were targeted in turn."
"How many? Who are they?" interrogated Mū, needing to know the identity of their adversaries.
"I don't know, and... there were only two of them."
"Are you seriously claiming, girl, that two individuals wiped out a regiment of one hundred and thirty ninjas?" retorted Ōnoki with obvious sarcasm. "Do you truly think we are fools?"
"Never, Ōnoki-sama! I would never dare! They... They... they were incredibly fast and agile, none of our attacks touched them. I've never seen such mastery of combat," whispered Mina, her voice trembling as she horrifically relived the images of that brunette tearing through her comrades.
"Describe them," ordered Mū in a softer voice, seeking to calm the young Genin. He seemed to believe her sincerity and was eager to learn more about these mysterious assailants who seemed so formidable.
"One of them had long brown hair, he was rather tall, dressed in a brown kimono, and wielded a sword. He also used my comrades' weapons with disconcerting ease. I couldn't see his face... He wore a straw hat," described Mina, troubled by her inability to remember her attacker's face, despite observing it up close. A strange gap in her memories.
"Is that all? You couldn't even see a fragment of his face?" insisted Mū, discerning in the girl's eyes her effort to recall physical details of her assailant.
"No, I can't remember."
"And the other?" Mū continued.
"She... She had..." began Mina before being interrupted by the Nidaime Tsuchikage.
"She? Do you mean the other individual was a woman?" he questioned suspiciously, his eyes scrutinizing the young girl. Not that he doubted the combat skills of the female gender, but the idea that a woman could annihilate a hundred seasoned ninjas seemed unbelievable to him.
Mina nodded before continuing her description.
"Her hair was pink, she wore a crimson outfit with a sword on her back. But I never saw her use it: she didn't need to," declared Mina.
"What do you mean?" asked Mū, increasingly intrigued by these revelations.
"I've never seen such power in anyone," she murmured swallowing hard, reliving the images of the pink-haired warrior in her head.
"Can you estimate her strength?" asked Mū, totally surprised by the Genin's reactions in front of him.
"I couldn't say, Mū-sama..."
"If you had to compare her to the Raikage, considered the strongest man in the world?" added the Kage patiently.
"I would say the Raikage would appear weak next to her in comparison," replied Mina without hesitation.
"What did she do to make you say that?" questioned Mū, suddenly very attentive. After all, it was not usual to hear that a Shinobi surpassed the Raikage, especially if it was a woman.
"She lifted a three-meter tall menhir, probably weighing five hundred kilograms, before throwing it a distance of eighty meters, smashing two of my friends to a pulp. Then, I saw her strike my squadron leader in the chest and create a ten-meter diameter crater... just with a punch," explained the girl, her eyes welling up with tears as she trembled, recalling the ruthless actions of these two individuals on the battlefield.
"Any distinctive features?" asked a council member.
"I don't remember," she replied, her gaze filled with worry at the impossibility of providing more details, even though she knew she had closely observed these two warriors.
"Could these individuals be the same ones responsible for the guerrilla attacks on our territory?" inquired Ōnoki to his master.
"Unlikely, but not to be ruled out. If they were able to neutralize a Shinobi armed force alone... perhaps they are connected to the disappearance of our troops in Hi No Kuni. Or maybe, they were just two ninjas from the Land of Rain defending their homeland," reasoned Mū, several theories germinating in his mind.
"How come you're still alive and they're not? Did you run away?" asked Ōnoki, letting his intention to punish burst out: he despised cowards and deserters.
"No! They... They let me go ordering me to report to you what happened in Shizuoka," replied Mina, trembling to her core.
"Why would they want you to tell us that?" wondered Mū.
"Is it a threat? Or do they want to indicate that Konoha is aware of our actions?" suggested Ōnoki to his master.
"It doesn't matter," declared the Tsuchikage with a wave of his hand before pointing at the young girl. "You! You will accompany my apprentice Ōnoki, you will guide him to where all this happened."
"Yes, sir!" responded the Genin.
"Yes, master," articulated Ōnoki mechanically before setting off.
"Send messages to our allies, we're accelerating our plans."
"Are we making this official?" asked the scribe in the corner of the room.
"Yes! War is declared!" affirmed Mū.
Day 240
Since their return to Ta No Kuni, Sakura and Madara had found refuge in the young woman's home. The shadows of war grew increasingly menacing, a palpable tension hanging in the air, ready to unleash at any moment. The recent events in Shizuoka had heightened suspicions, and alliances were forming and breaking in every Elemental Nation, with troops stirring, ready to be launched into the inevitable maelstrom of the First Great Shinobi War.
In this impending turmoil, Madara deemed it prudent to return to his homeland, prepared to intervene should there be an attack against the Land of Rice Fields, watching for the contours of betrayal that might be emerging. The time was not yet for offense, nor even defense. To exhaust their forces against enemy armies would only be a strategic mistake in their ultimate quest.
Thus, in this tense wait, Madara and Sakura had established a strict routine: meditation for the mind, training for the body, planning for the future, and rest for mental preparation.
However, for one of the two souls sheltered in this bubble of preparation, an inner struggle raged. Sakura had been tormenting her mind for days, no, weeks, perhaps even months. The barriers she had erected to contain her feelings seemed to be crumbling, revealing the truth she refused to acknowledge. Through the tumults of time, she had discovered in Madara a remarkable man, imperfect like any human being, but of undeniable uniqueness. He was endowed with honor, ambition, charisma, and courage, an embodied power aspiring for peace in a corrupted world. But above all, he looked at her with an intensity that unsettled her, a gaze that defined her in a way that no one had ever dared before.
After long months of inner meditation, Sakura had finally accepted the truth that resided deep within herself.
She was in love with Madara Uchiha.
Yet, the most daunting challenge remained: was she ready to reveal her feelings to him? That was an entirely different battle. She wished for the presence of Master Tsunade Senju or her mother to advise her in this delicate matter. Her mother... the one who had loved her father from the beginning, would have known the right words to guide her in the complex art of revealing her emotions to a man. What to say? How to say it? So many unanswered questions haunted Sakura more and more, resonating in the silence of her thoughts. And then, there was this crucial element: what did he think, him? Did he have similar feelings towards her, or would she once again face unrequited love?
A memory then came to her, shedding light on a path. She knew someone, even two people, who would be able to offer her wise advice and perhaps even some answers to her torments.
"Madara-san, I'm going to visit my friend Hitomi," announced Sakura as the man sat, engrossed in reading a book authored by herself.
"See you later, Sakura-san," responded Madara absentmindedly, absorbed in his pages.
Determined, Sakura descended towards the village where her friend lived. Her thoughts accompanied her along the way until she found herself standing in front of Hitomi's door. A knot tightened in her stomach as she prepared to knock.
The door opened, revealing the smiling face of the brunette woman.
"Oh, Sakura! You're back!" Her warm welcome infused courage and energy into Sakura. In these uncertain times, where moments of relaxation and simple conversation were rare, she welcomed this positive atmosphere with gratitude.
"Hello, Hitomi. How are you?" asked Sakura.
"I'm fine, and you? Did your journey go well?" inquired Hitomi.
"Yes, our journey went smoothly... but... tell me, do you have a moment to spare? asked Sakura, eager but aware not to want to discuss their external missions, which might worry her friend given the challenges they had faced.
"Of course, would you like to come in?" politely offered Hitomi.
"Are you alone?" asked Sakura, wishing for a conversation between women.
"Yes," replied Hitomi, opening the door wide.
Inside, the modesty of the home was evident, the furniture reflecting limited financial resources and a simple way of life.
"Some tea?" suggested Hitomi.
"Please, Hitomi," agreed Sakura, settling at the table in the main room.
"So, what can I do for you, Sakura?" asked Hitomi, filling the teapot with water.
"No need to heat the water, bring me the teapot... and otherwise, I'm here because I need advice," confessed Sakura as her friend approached with the teapot.
"What could I advise you on?" asked Hitomi, visibly surprised, as Sakura dipped her fingers into the water. She activated her chakra, and the water quickly warmed up to the desired temperature.
"How did you know your husband was the one?" asked Sakura directly.
As soon as the words were spoken, Hitomi couldn't suppress a radiant smile, aware of the deep significance of this question for the young woman with pink hair. The slight blush on Sakura's cheeks only confirmed Hitomi's suspicions.
"You're in love, aren't you?" asked the brunette straightforwardly.
"Answer my question, please," Sakura timidly replied.
"I was lucky not to come from a big family, otherwise, I would have been married to a perfect stranger. We grew up together, so I had my whole life to know he was the one," explained Hitomi while serving tea into two cups. "He was my best friend before he was my lover and husband. But I would say I knew he was the one when I saw his gaze upon me."
Sakura instantly understood what Hitomi meant.
Nothing is more powerful for a woman than the way a man looks at her. When she sees in his eyes a recognition of her being, far from being reduced to a mere object. When she realizes that his gaze perceives her as she truly is, in all her femininity. It's a powerful, intense, and rare force. And Sakura considered herself extremely lucky to be observed in this way by Madara, he who had long disdained the female gender.
"You love him, don't you?" gently insisted Hitomi, a faint smile on her lips.
Sakura took her tea cup in her hands, then lifted her eyes to meet those of the woman in her forties. She didn't respond verbally, but nodded: yes, she loved him. Over time, she had realized that her love for Sasuke was genuine, but loving someone who only returned contempt was not healthy. With Madara, it was a different story... it was so intense, and above all, it seemed to be reciprocated.
"Have you told him?" asked Hitomi softly.
"No..."
"Then what are you waiting for?" questioned the brunette, blowing on her tea.
"Courage?" Sakura replied more to herself than to Hitomi. Because after all, what she was about to do was no small matter: to confess her feelings to the most powerful of the Uchiha.
"Courage? You, lacking courage?" exclaimed the brunette. "I have never seen a woman like you, Sakura. I have never met a woman, in all my life, able to stand up to a man without facing his wrath. And I have never seen a man listen to a woman when she openly opposes him. You have courage, don't doubt it, and remember that even if Uchiha-sama is handsome and imposing, he remains a man."
"They are weak against the fair sex," joked Sakura, while Hitomi wore a knowing smile.
"Exactly."
"I'm afraid, Hitomi," confessed the pink-haired woman, recalling the sufferings inflicted by Sasuke. "I don't want to suffer, I don't want to be wrong, I don't want an illusory love."
"Like all women... but you are lucky to be a strong woman," replied Hitomi. "The real question to ask yourself, my dear Sakura, is: does he love me for who I am? Does he love you?"
Sakura didn't answer immediately. She watched her faint reflection in the liquid in front of her. Did Madara Uchiha love her? That was the real question after all: what were the man's feelings towards her?
"Maybe..."
"It's better to live with regrets than with regrets. Life is too short, and it's better to try a beautiful love story than not to try anything at all," declared Hitomi wisely.
A smile spread across Sakura's lips at these words. She only had one life, and the Sage of Six Paths had offered her a unique opportunity by allowing her to travel back in time. Had he anticipated that she would fall in love with the Uchiha? Had he seen it in his prophecies? Hadn't he even suggested that she charm the dark-haired man to obtain the long-desired peace?
"Thank you."
"You're always welcome, Sakura... and I want to be there for the wedding!" replied the woman in her forties with a broad smile.
"Hitomi! I have no intention of getting married at the moment," protested Sakura.
"We'll talk about it, my dear... now get out of here and go declare your love to your prince charming!" ordered Hitomi, getting up and taking Sakura's hand.
"But..."
"No buts. You're ready and bursting with energy, so now, go see that man and tell him what your heart holds, my dear."
Meanwhile, in Sakura's home, Madara was engrossed in reading his book, waiting patiently.
Thanks to his acute sensory perception, he could feel the young woman's chakra moving through the village. As soon as he judged that she had moved far enough away, he closed the book he was reading and embarked on a quest for information.
In the past, he had only been able to gather information in this house in bits and pieces because Sakura was always present. But today, he had the opportunity to learn more about who Sakura really was and if his suspicions were founded.
The patriarch got up, heading towards the desk of the Sealing Jutsu virtuoso. On it were arranged numerous scrolls containing seals and various formulas. A few books were piled up in the upper right corner of the desk, but Madara ignored them, deeming them uninteresting. He circled the desk to observe the bookshelf, quickly scanning all the titles with his Sharingan.
As he perused the titles, the possibility that Sakura and her mother hailed from another continent became more firmly entrenched in his mind. The subjects covered were so varied and so far from his own knowledge that he was impressed. Yet, no clue allowed him to clearly identify who this woman was and what her origins were. He then headed towards the only room he hadn't visited yet: Sakura's bedroom.
Silently sliding the door, he entered the small room, quite modest, containing only three pieces of furniture besides the bed. Madara scanned the room with his eyes, his nostrils filling his senses with the intoxicating scent of the young woman. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the fragrance of the one he ardently desired, the one he loved.
After regaining his composure, Madara opened the wardrobe to find clothes, all quite ordinary. The same observation was made by opening the other piece of furniture, although he restrained a slight blush upon seeing all the underwear.
His attention was then caught by a wooden frame placed on the bedside table. Inside, a painting drew his gaze.
"What is this?" Madara murmured to himself.
It was something he had never seen before. Either the painter was a virtuoso in his field, or it was a total novelty. Photography did not exist in the Sengoku era, and seeing such a detailed image impressed Madara.
The painting depicted Sakura at the age of seven, surrounded by her mother and father. It was a beautiful work, and Madara finally had a face to associate with Tsunade Haruno. He could now affirm that he had never met her in the past.
After contemplating the painting for a moment, Madara gently placed the frame back on the bedside table, exactly where he had found it. He then tried to open the drawer of the bedside table, but it refused to open. There was no lock, but a small Sealing Jutsu seal. Madara understood then that Sakura was concealing something here that she did not want discovered.
Squatting down to get a better view of the seal, he activated his Sharingan to analyze the mathematical series and thus disable it. It took him nearly five minutes to understand the complexity of the seal before managing to neutralize it.
Once the seal was neutralized, Madara gently pulled on the drawer, which opened, and his eyes widened at what he found inside. The patriarch reached into the drawer to retrieve another photo frame and a small metal plate.
The plate he held in his hands was that of a forehead protector, but what caught Madara's attention more was the symbol of the village of Konoha engraved on it. He turned the plate to examine the registration and frowned. It wasn't a number he recognized. Perhaps this confirmed that Sakura was from Konoha, or that she had stolen this headband from someone.
Yet, it was the second photo frame that deeply disturbed Madara, plunging him into total confusion. In the picture, four people were depicted: Sakura in the center, a brunette to her right, possessing all the characteristics to be an Uchiha, and in Madara's mind, it could only be Sasuke, whom Sakura had mentioned to him. To her left stood a blond with an attitude that screamed "kill me!" but the worst was the man behind them... wearing the Hokage's hat.
"Who are you?" Madara wondered, leaving the room with the metal plate and the photo frame, which he did not take his eyes off for a single moment.
A multitude of scenarios raced through Madara's mind. This photo disturbed him greatly because while some questions now found answers, a thousand others took place in his mind.
So absorbed in his thoughts, Madara did not notice Sakura's return. It was the sound of her steps on the floor that made him look up. He saw Sakura's surprised and panicked gaze as she recognized what he was holding in his hands.
"Who are you?" politely asked Madara.
He wanted answers, and he would get them. However, although he felt respect for this woman and had feelings for her, he chose to adopt a gentle approach.
Yet, Sakura remained frozen, not knowing what to do. She really didn't expect Madara to discover what she had hidden. Although he was not renowned for his skills in Sealing Jutsu, it seemed she had underestimated him.
"Answer me...," repeated Madara, fixing Sakura straight in the eyes, while she thought at lightning speed, desperately trying to figure out what to say, what to do, fearing that everything would be ruined by this simple discovery.
The heavy silence and the lack of response seriously began to irritate Madara, putting his nerves to the test. He watched Sakura closely, seeing that she was thinking intensely. The longer she delayed in responding, the more he felt she was desperately seeking an escape to avoid his questions, and this prospect was inconceivable for the Uchiha.
No one had ever dared to manipulate Madara Uchiha so openly, no one could even imagine succeeding in deceiving him. The anger boiled more and more within him. He realized he had been weak, that he had been taken in by new feelings, and this realization made him furious. Or perhaps he simply dared not admit that he was hurt in his pride to have been thus deceived. He regretted letting Sakura into his heart. He had learned to love the young woman like he had never loved any other woman. He recognized her value as a Shinobi, her undeniable skills. She had managed to conceal her true identity from him. But who was she really?
"WHO ARE YOU?!" Madara yelled, releasing all his killing intent, unleashing his chakra with terrifying power, activating his two Mangekyō Sharingan.
A shockwave spread throughout the house. Furniture flew in all directions, windows shattered, scrolls whirled like caught in a tornado, furniture crashed to the ground, and even the walls of the house cracked under the pressure.
Only Sakura remained motionless, her warrior's gaze suddenly fixed. Madara had activated his Dōjutsu to the next level, a pupil that should not be underestimated.
"I am Haruno Sakura, Jōnin of Konoha No Sato, born in the year 82 after the defeat of Uchiha Madara by Hashirama Senju at the Valley of the End. I sacrificed my time and my universe for the chance to stop the cycle of hatred!" Sakura replied resolutely, her own chakra rising in response to Madara's.
She who had initially planned to reveal her feelings now found herself revealing her true identity to the most feared man in all Elemental Nations.
"Time travel is impossible!" retorted Madara, suddenly finding the key to almost all his questions in this simple sentence. If she came from the future, everything was explained, but then why had she saved him?
Despite his efforts to immobilize her in a Genjutsu to obtain all the answers he desired, Madara encountered an unyielding wall of resistance. This resistance further irritated the Uchiha: how was it possible that she could resist his ocular power?
"Nothing is impossible, Madara-san," Sakura replied, feeling Madara's Genjutsu attacks weigh on her. Internally, she thanked the Sage of Six Paths for reinforcing her forehead seal, allowing her to resist any Genjutsu generated by the Sharingan.
"You manipulated me!" Madara asserted with unwavering firmness. "From the beginning, you manipulated me!"
"At first, yes... I manipulated you," Sakura admitted without looking away.
"Why?!" demanded Madara, despite the situation, impressed by the woman's resolution who faced him. She stood her ground, and her Sharingan proved ineffective against her.
"In order for you to fulfill your destiny," she replied.
"What destiny?" asked Madara, curious despite the anger he felt, and which he kept under control thanks, or because, of the feelings he harbored for the young woman.
"The one the Child of Prophecy must fulfill: to bring peace," Sakura confessed. For her, it was a relief to finally release the burden she had carried for so long. She had feared this moment, but now that she had revealed everything, she felt a little lighter.
Seconds passed, heavy with silence. In the gaze they exchanged, Sakura saw the reflection of what she risked losing: Madara.
Deep within herself, she felt that everything would depend on this man's reaction. She couldn't help but fear losing the man she loved once again. After Sasuke... now Madara. This thought brought tears to the corners of her eyes.
"But that was before," Sakura murmured, lowering her eyes slightly.
"Before what?" asked Madara, still digesting the information. He felt betrayed, manipulated. But more than that, he felt an inexplicable pain in his chest.
Madara didn't understand this pain. No physical injury justified it. Was it the wounds of the soul? Those inflicted by the feelings he harbored for someone?
"Before I discovered the man you really were," Sakura continued, determined to reveal everything. "Before I fell in love with you."
It was done. Sakura had confessed her feelings to Madara. But he remained motionless, his face impassive, his killing intent still present. Sakura felt her heart tighten, a tear rolling down her cheek. Everything was probably ruined because of her secrets. Once again, she was losing the man she loved.
Madara deactivated his Sharingan and headed for the door without a word. He passed by Sakura without a glance, ignoring her tears. Once outside, he channeled his chakra into his legs and quickly moved away from the house. He did not see Sakura collapse in tears on the ground, amidst the debris.
He jumped from tree to tree for minutes until he reached a clearing where he leaned against a tree to think. Closing his eyes, he tried to calm the pain gripping his chest.
"Hello, my child," said an old voice.